People head for home States as fresh spell of rain spreads fear; Army Chief visits affected areas, reviews work of rescue teams of the force; Chief Secretary, senior officials and Ministers say work is on to restore normality fast; even after a brief lull in the rain, distresscalls pour in from various areas.

Rescue efforts were scaled up in flood-hit Chennai and its neighbouring districts of Tiruvallur and Kancheepuram on Friday even as a fresh spell of intermittent rain rattled the residents who are yet to recover from the destruction due to the record-shattering rain.

While thousands of people whose homes were marooned or livelihood snatched away headed to the mofussil bus terminus and the omnibus depot at Koyambedu and the Beach railway station to travel to their native places, more rescue teams have been called to attend to distress calls.

The Chief of the Army Staff, General Dalbir Singh, flew here to oversee the rescue efforts of the Army. He and the General Officer Commanding, Dakshin Bharat Area, carried out an aerial reconnaissance. Fifteen NDRF teams are likely to arrive in a day or two.

Senior officials, led by Chief Secretary K. Gnanadesikan, and some Ministers, told presspersons that they were acting under the Chief Minister’s directions to restore normality.